2003 Michigan State Spartans football team

2003 Michigan State Spartans football
Alamo Bowl, L 3–17 vs. Nebraska
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	8–5 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	John L. Smith (1st season)
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium (c. 72,027 natural grass)

2003 Big Ten Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 6 Michigan $		7	–	1					10	–	3
No. 4 Ohio State %		6	–	2					11	–	2
No. 18 Purdue		6	–	2					9	–	4
No. 8 Iowa		5	–	3					10	–	3
No. 20 Minnesota		5	–	3					10	–	3
Michigan State		5	–	3					8	–	5
Wisconsin		4	–	4					7	–	6
Northwestern		4	–	4					6	–	7
Penn State		1	–	7					3	–	9
Indiana		1	–	7					2	–	10
Illinois		0	–	8					1	–	11
% – BCS at-large representative $ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 2003 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Spartans play their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was the first year for head coach John L. Smith, who would win Big Ten coach of the year in his debut, but would later be fired after the 2006 season.

The Spartans were coming off a 4–8 season and had just let go of head coach Bobby Williams.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	3:40 p.m.	Western Michigan*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ESPN+	W 26–21	72,923
September 6	3:40 p.m.	Rutgers*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ESPN+	W 44–28	72,579
September 13	12:10 p.m.	Louisiana Tech*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ESPN+	L 19–20	72,387
September 20	2:30 p.m.	at Notre Dame*		Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (Megaphone Trophy)	NBC	W 22–16	80,795
September 27	12:10 p.m.	No. 13 Iowa		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ESPN+	W 20–10	72,276
October 4	12:10 p.m.	Indiana	No. 25	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (Old Brass Spittoon)	ESPN+	W 31–3	72,398
October 11	12:00 p.m.	at Illinois	No. 21	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	ESPN2	W 49–14	47,509
October 18	12:00 p.m.	at No. 25 Minnesota	No. 15	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	ESPN2	W 44–38	38,778
November 1	12:00 p.m.	No. 11 Michigan	No. 9	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)	ABC	L 20–27	75,129
November 8	12:00 p.m.	at No. 7 Ohio State	No. 14	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ABC	L 23–33	105,194
November 15	12:00 p.m.	at Wisconsin	No. 21	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	ESPN2	L 21–56	79,256
November 22	12:00 p.m.	Penn State		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (Land Grant Trophy)	ESPN	W 41–10	72,119
December 29	9:05 p.m.	vs. No. 22 Nebraska		Alamodome San Antonio, TX (Alamo Bowl)	ESPN	L 3–17	56,226
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

2004 NFL Draft

The following players were selected in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Player	Round	Pick	Position	NFL Team
Matthias Askew	4	114	Defensive Tackle	Cincinnati Bengals
Jeff Smoker	6	201	Quarterback	St. Louis Rams